Purity Of The Heart
by Alexz Recoro
Summary: Max is attacked, brutally beaten, and raped by the Jokers, because some of them saw her helping Batman. When Terry finds out, he is devastated. What?s the use of being Batman if he can?t protect his best friend? Can Max help him relies that the world need


Title: Purity Of The Heart   
  
Author: Alexz Recoro  
  
Summary: Max is attacked, brutally beaten, and raped by the Jokers, because some of them saw her helping Batman. When Terry finds out, he is devastated. What's the use of being Batman if he can't protect his best friend? Can Max help him relies that the world needs Batman? A Max/Terry.   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Max, Terry or any of the other characters from Batman Beyond. I just love the show. And I hope this is an original idea, but it might not be.   
  
  
  
  
Max walked quickly through the park. The wind blew harder, whipping her short hair in every direction. Max shivered and started walk faster, pulling her jacket tighter around her shoulders. It was so cold tonight! Max shivered again and stepped up her pace a little bit. She mentally kicked herself. Of all the nights to be stuck late at school! But she just had to finish that project. Terry had offered to walk her, but he got a page from Bruce and had to go. He had been worried about her walking home through the park alone, but she had assured him that it was fine. He had offered to lend her what little was left on his cash card to take the bus, but she had insisted on walking. Max heard something behind her, and spun around. Nothing.   
  
Max turned back around slowly, shrugging off the feeling. She was probably just paranoid. "Thanks a lot McGinnes." She whispered to herself. He was so paranoid when he was in the suit that it must have rubbed off on her. Just last week, after they arrested a few Jokers who were pushing arms on the streets, she had seen Jokers in every shadow... uh oh. Max looked up at the sign that stood by the path. Jay Path. Oh shit! Jay Path was known Joker territory. During the day it was okay, but after 10:00 the Jokers ruled. And they didn't take kindly to people in their area. Max checked her watch quickly. 10:15. Oh shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit! She heard a maniacal laugh behind her and whirled around again. This time she saw a flash of white face paint. No! No, no no!  
  
Max turned around and started running. The park flashed past her, the wind whipped around her, stinging her face and eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest, feeling like it was going to break right though her ribs. This couldn't be happening! Why were they after her? Yeah, she was in their territory, but the Jokers didn't attack high school girl walking through the park, even if it was after 10:00. They may be a gang, but they were still kids who had ideas and morals. So why were they after her? Unless... What if some of their buddies had gotten away last week? Her and Terry thought they had gotten them all, but what if some got away? They would be sure to tell their friends that there was a girl helping out Batman. And they had enough connections, they could probably get a picture of her. After that, where she lived, where she went to school, what way she took home. Then all they had to was wait for her to expose herself. Max heard feet pounding behind her, catching up. Hands wrapped around her chest from behind. When she opened her mouth to scream, another hand clamped over her mouth. A bandanna was tied around her eyes. The hand was removed from her mouth, and a gag shoved in before she could scream. The only sound she made was a little squeak that a mouse wouldn't have heard. Max felt tears brimming behind her eyelids, but refused to let them out. A few slipped down her cheeks, but it was too dark to see them, thankfully. She wouldn't let them see her cry, wouldn't show them a weakness. 'Terry, I need you.' She thought before she was dragged to the ground and hit hard over the back of the head. 'Terry!' She screamed in her mind before spiraling down into darkness.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Terry ran into the hospital. He ran down the quiet halls towards the Emergency Room. He didn't even slow down at the doors, just threw out his arms in front of him to open them. He ran over to the main desk.   
"Excuse me? I'm looking for my friend..."  
"Terry?" Terry turned around, and saw Max in an curtained off area, laying in a bed. "Terry, is that you?" Max asked weakly. She was sitting up in the bed. There were several bruises on her face, and some bandages. One of her wrists was wrapped up. Terry ran towards her. He took her hand and sat in the chair next to the bed.   
"Max, what happened?" Terry asked. Max just started to cry. She turned away from him, her shoulders shaking. "Oh, Max. Max, please tell me what's wrong. Max, what happened?"   
  
A touch on his shoulder made him look up. A doctor stood there. "May I speak to you?"  
"Sure."  
Terry stood up and followed the doctor out to the lobby. The doctor pulled the curtain closed around Max's bed.   
"Doctor, what happened to her?"   
"She was found outside the park by a patrol. She was beaten and raped." Terry felled like his insides had been ripped out, put in a blender, then poured down his throat. His throat went dry, and his hands started to shake. He stuffed them into his pockets to hide them.   
"How bad is she?"  
"Pretty bad. Her right wrist is sprained, her lower right leg is broken, several of her ribs are cracked, her collarbone in broken, and she has a sever head injury." Terry collapsed into a nearby chair. Max. His Max. She had been raped and beaten. Why? Terry looked up at the doctor.  
"Who did this?"  
"The police officer who found her says this was pinned to her clothing." The Doctor handed Terry an envelope, then left to check on some of his other patients. Terry stared at the blank white envelope. He ripped it open and pulled out the single piece of paper, his hand shaking.   
  
Batman,  
We got you friend, and we will get you. Just give us time.   
Jokers  
  
Terry saw red as he hand closed into a fist. The Jokers had done this to Max. He would get them. But right now, Max, his Max, was his number one priority. He went back to the curtain and stepped inside, closing it behind him. Max turned back to face him, her face streaked with tears. When she saw it was him, she whipped frantically at her eyes. Terry grabbed her hand gently. "Hey, hey. Be still. You'll pull out your IV. Here." He pulled out one of his black and red handkerchiefs and whipped the tears off her face. Max let him, then pulled away.   
"I can't believe I'm crying now. I wouldn't cry then, I wouldn't let myself cry. I didn't want to show them a weakness."  
"Max, its okay to cry. Cry now. Get it all out."  
  
At the smooth, calming sound of Terry's voice, Max started to cry again. She wasn't bawling, but the tears were rolling down her face. Terry's heart broke to see her like this. All because of him. If he hadn't asked her to come along on a routine mission stopping Jokers, they never would have known about her, and this wouldn't have happened. Terry reached out and pulled her into a hug. Max just sobbed into his chest. Carefully, so not to hurt her, he climbed up onto the hospital bed and held her. She sobbed quietly into his chest, her hands gripping his leather jacket. He just stoked her short hair and whispered to her. Slowly her sobbing slowed and stopped as she fell asleep.   
  
Terry rested his cheek on her head and let her sleep. She muttered in her sleep, and he bent his head to hear her.   
"Don't leave me Terry. Don't leave me now." She whispered. Terry smiled and held her tighter. Max had been there for him though everything. When his dad died, when the pressures of Batman became a little much and he needed a hand to hold and a friendly ear, and when his girlfriend had broken up with him. So he could certainly be here for her now. His back pocket vibrated. He shifted slightly so he could reach into his back pocket. He grabbed his phone and answered it.  
"Yeah?" He asked quietly, so he wouldn't wake Max.   
"Where are you?" Bruce demanded.   
"I'm at the hospital?"  
"Are you all right?"  
"Yeah. So is my mom and my kid brother."   
"Then what are you doing there?"  
Terry's arm tightened around Max. She sighed lightly and snuggled up against him. "It's Max."  
"What happened?"  
"She was found outside the park by the police. She was beaten and raped. There was a letter from the Jokers to Batman. They did this to her. And it's my fault."  
"I'm sorry Terry. But the city needs you right now."  
"All right." Terry hung up the phone. Then he slowly shook Max awake.   
  
She woke up and stretched. "Hey Maxie. I need to go. Bruce calls. I'll be back later okay?"  
Max nodded. Terry gave her a quick hug. He pulled the blanket up to her chin and tucked her in. He waited until she was asleep, then picked up his bag with the suit, and left.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Batman walked into the cave, pulling his mask on. Bruce turned in his chair. "Your late."  
"I waited until Max was asleep. I didn't want to leave her."  
"I'm sorry about Max. I know that she's very important to her. I know that's she's your best friend."  
"Yeah, but what you didn't know is that I'm in love with her." Batman laughed at the surprise in the old man's eyes. "Don't worry about it, Max doesn't know either. That's the only thing I worry about when I leave to do Bat duty. I worry that one time I won't come home, and she'll never know. No one would ever know."  
"I would Terry. And I'd make sure she knew it too."  
"Thanks Bruce." Batman said, grinning. "Now what's so important that I had to leave my best friend to do it?"  
As Bruce started to explain what he wanted Batman to do, Terry started to tune him out and his thoughts started to drifted to Max, laying alone in the hospital bed because of him. He was jerked out of his thoughts by Bruce.   
"Are you listening to me?"  
"What? Oh, yeah, I'm listening."  
Bruce studied his face. "No your not. What's wrong with you tonight?"  
Batman sighed. "Nothing. I'm just worried about Max, that's all."  
Bruce looked at Batman closely, then he sighed. "Terry, why don't you take the night off?"  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah. Go be with Max. The police can handle the Jokers and the T's for one night."  
"All right." Batman left, pulling off his mask as he went. He ran a hand through his short brown hair and sighed. Then he was on his way to the hospital.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Terry went to the main desk and asked for Max's room. The nurse on duty pointed him down a hall, and told him to go to room 498. Terry thanked her and went down the hall. Max was awake, staring at the flickering TV, not really watching it. Terry knocked softly on the doorjamb. She looked up in surprise. Terry felt a new wave of guilt as he looked at her bruised and swollen but still beautiful face. She smiled weakly at him, but it hurt to smile and she didn't hold it.   
"Hey Terry." Max said softly. She couldn't talk very loud. She had been choked too Terry saw, the brushes on her neck looking like stains on her smooth skin. Terry grinned at her and pulled his hand out from behind his back.   
"Here. I hope you like roses." Terry said, handing her the bouquet of white and yellow roses.   
"Oh! I love them." Max said, obviously pleased. "Thank you Terry."   
"No problem Max. It's the least I could do." Max caught the unspoken message behind his words. She glanced at him.   
"What are you talking about McGinnes?"  
"I'm sorry Max. This is my fault." Terry said, hanging his head so that Max couldn't see the tears in his eyes. "If I hadn't let you come on that mission, then the Jokers would never have known about you, and this would never have happened."  
  
Max reached out and took his hand. She pulled gently on it until he sat down on the edge of the bed, his head still down. Max gently reached out and touched his chin, forcing it up so he would have to look at her. Max felt her heart break when she saw the tears in his eyes.   
"Terry, this wasn't you fault." Terry jerked his head away from her and turned his back on her. But he couldn't bear to remove himself from the bed and Max's comforting presence.   
"Yes it is Max. It's all my fault. The Jokers should have never known about you or seen you."   
"Terry, if it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I was walking through their area of the park after dark. It's my fault, not yours."   
"No Max. See, if you hadn't been with me last week, you would have finished your project, and you wouldn't have been walking through the park in the dark. And if I had decided to make Bruce wait just five more minutes, I could have walked home. It's all my fault."  
  
Max slid up behind him. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her forehead on his back. "Oh Terry. You can't blame yourself for everything. Some things just happen, and there's nothing we can do about it." Terry finally let the tears that he had been holding back fall. Max held him and let him cry. He cried for his dad, for his mom, for his little brother. He cried for the Jokers, for the T's, and for the city. He cried for his innocent Max, for the wrong that had been done her, and he cried for himself. Max started to cry too. Terry reached around and pulled her on to his lap. He let Max cry. His Max. Terry laid back on the hospital bed and let Max lay next to him.   
  
They lay forehead to forehead, leaning on each other, drawing their strength from each other. Finally Max let out a soft little sigh and relaxed. Terry drew her closer. Her head fit right under his chin and her body fit his perfectly. He rested his chin on top of her head. He felt her tiny little sigh, and felt her snuggle into him.   
"Max." He whispered. "Can I keep you?"  
"Of course you can." Max whispered back before falling into a deep sleep.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Terry woke up and was confused for a moment before he released he was still in the hospital with Max. She was still sleeping, a small smile on her brushed face. Terry smiled and slid out from under her. She whimpered slightly when she felt his warmth leave her, but Terry pulled her blanket up to her chin and she calmed down. Terry softly slipped out of her room and closed the door quietly. Then he walked outside and called his mom.   
"Hello?"  
"Mom, it's me."  
"Terry! Where are you?"  
"I'm at the hospital."  
"The hospital! Are you hurt?!"  
"No, mom I'm not hurt. It's Max."  
"Oh no! What happened?"  
"She was found outside the park last night, beaten and raped."  
"Oh my god! Is she okay?"  
"She's pretty beat up, but the doctors say she can go home tomorrow."  
"Well that's good to here. Call me if anything changes."  
"Okay. I think I'll just stay here for a while."  
"Okay Terry. Bye."  
"Bye."  
  
Terry hung up the phone and slipped back into Max's room. She sat up when he opened the door.   
"Hey kiddo. Your awake."   
"Yeah. I'm am. Did you talk to the doctor?"  
"Yeah. He says you can go home tomorrow."   
"That's great!"  
"Yeah. I'll try by your house tonight and pick up some clothes and bring them in."  
"Thanks Terry."  
"Do you need anything right now?"  
"Could you just stop by the giftshop and get me a magazine?"  
"Sure." Terry said grinning. He turned and went down to the giftshop. He picked up one of Max's favorite magazine. Then he saw something. It was a little black and red pouperi stuffed pillow that had designs on it that kinda looked like bats. Terry grinned and bought that for her too.   
  
He walked in and found Max watching TV. She shut if off when Terry came in. He handed her the magazine, then grinned and brought the pillow out from behind his back. Max laughed.   
"Thanks Terry! That's really thoughtful of you." Terry took a deep breath and looked at her.   
"Max, I have something to tell you." Max immediately set aside her magazine and looked at him, hugging her pillow to her. Terry took a deep breath, then let it out shakily. He grinned. "I guess I need to sit down."  
"Okay, now I'm worried." Max joked.   
Terry grinned at her, and took her hand from one of the pillows, then took another deep breath. "Max, I relies this probably isn't the best time, but I have to say it now. I can't stand the thought of something happening to me or you and you never knowing this." Terry steadied himself. "Max, I love you. I always have. It just took something happening to you to kick start my brain."  
  
Max looked at him in shock. Then Terry raised her hand to his lips and brushed it with his lips. Max broke into a huge smile and threw her arms around him. "I love you too Terry." Terry hugged her to him tightly. Then he released her and stood up.   
"I have to go Max. I'll be back later with your clothes."  
"Okay." Max said, still grinning. Terry got to the door, but a grin lie up his face and he turned back around.   
"What's the matter, did you forget something?" Max asked, him confused.   
"Yeah, I did." Terry said, grinning. He crossed the space between the door and the bed in a few steps. Then he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. Max made a surprised little noise against Terry's lips, but she soon was kissing him back. Terry wrapped his arms around Max and pulled her tighter up against him. Max wrapped her arms around Terry's neck, running her finger through his hair. Soon they both needed air and they pulled away.  
"So, do you have anything left you need?" Max whispered, resting her forehead on Terry's.   
"Nope, I think I have everything." Terry said with a grin. They released each other. Terry smiled and gave her a quick kiss.   
"Now I really have to go. I'll see you."   
"See you." Max whispered. Terry left and shut the door. Max fell back on her pillow and grinned happily at the ceiling.   
Terry fell against the door, grinning happily. Then he shook his head and walked down the hall. He hadn't told Max everything though. How could he tell her that he was going to quit being Batman?  
  



End file.
